Dredging apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 (No Mddel.)

A. E. 81M. w. HALL.

DREDGING APPARATUS.

N0. 258,913. Y Patented June 6, 1882.

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(NoModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. V

' A. E. 80 M. W. HALL.

DREDGINGAPPARATUS.

Patented June 6, 1882.

'INVENTDRSI AT'TEsT' Nv PETERS. Phnlo'Liihcgnphlr. wnhinglon. D. c

A UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. HALL AND MILAN W. HALL, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

FDREDGING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,913, dated June 6, 1882.

Application filed November 29, 1880. (N 0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT E. HALL and MILAN W. HALL, both of Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements. in Dredging Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates, in the main, to the external mechanism for operating or handling the dipper of a dredging apparatus. The novel features will be set forth definitely in the claims.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate our invention, Figure l is a side elevation of a scow or boat provided with our improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same with the boom and dipper removed. Fig. 4 illustrates the construction of the boom. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively side and front elevations of the guide-sheaves, showing them enlarged. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a "ertical mid-section and a plan of the boom-socket and pintle enlarged.

Let A represent in general adredging boat or scow provided with the usual spuds, B, and suitable steam windlasses. (Indicated by the dotted lines.) These possess no novel features and will require no further description.

0 is an A-frame, mounted on the scow at its bow and stayedby guys and braces '1), forming a derrick. r

E is the boom. This is constructed as indicated in Fig. 4, wherein the view at the left is a plan and that at the right a side view, with a part of the side plate broken away to show the slot or opening a inwhich the dipper-handle F plays. The boom is formed or V built up of two side plates, b b, and tapered middle pieces, 0 0, arranged to leave the space a. The tapered butt of the boom fits in a metal socket, d, (see Figs. 7 and 8,) which is hinged or pivoted in a recess in the'head of a This pintle is arranged to rotate on pintle, 0. its vertical axis in a socket, f, set in the timber of the scow and secured by screws or bolts.

The pintle is retained in place by means of aby arranging two rods or chains side by side,

so as to leave a space between them for the play of the dipper-handle. If one central rod or chain were employed, it would be in the way of said handle. Thus it will be seen that the thrust strain of the boom, when in use, is in a direction diagonally downward through the pintle-head, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7, and passes through the angle g. When arranged in this manner the thrust strain on the pintle will not interfere materially with its rotation in its socket.

The handle F of the dipper H passes through the opening a in the boom, and is provided with a suitable socket or clamp, h, arranged to rotate or oscillate in hearings on the boom, and the dipper is arranged to be drawn back for setting by means of a rope or chain, c, which passes back through a hole, j, in the scow to a winding-drum in the interior.

The dipper is raised by means oftwo chains, I I, which are attached to the dipper-bail, pass over sheaves k is hung from the peak of the boom, and thence through openingsin the bow of the scow direct to leading or guide sheaves Z. From these the chains pass to the ordinary winding-drums or windlasses. In passing into the. scow or boat, or to the winding mechanism, these chains I pass through clusters of antifriction sheaves m m, forming hawse-holes, one set of'which is best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In'the construction of these hawse-holes, n is a plate provided with means for attaching it to the timbers of the boat, and with a bushing, o, to line the aperture. 'The plate is also provided with projecting plates or cheeks p p p, to form bearings for the sheaves q q g, which are arranged in triangular form around the aperture 7'. The sheaves fit snugly between the cheeks p, and the metal of the cheeks,

where they are joined together, forms triangular hoods, s, which overhang the flanges of the sheaves and prevent them from .being chafedand worn by the chains.

We prefer to set the plate a at right angles to the axis of the chain when viewed as in Fig.1, and to arrange the axis of the larger sheaves, q q, approximately at rightangles to the direction of the pressure which will be thrown on them by the chain. The smaller sheave, q, is only brought into play incidentally; but the larger ones must be able to stand considerable strain when the boom is drawn far to one side, as in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that we employ the same chains to maneuver the boomthat is, to swing it from side to side-that are used to hoist the dredge; and to accomplish this in the best manner we spread the chains (see Fig. 2) so that they stand at a considerable angle, with the boom on each side, and cause them to enter the hull some distance from the heel of the boom. This gives us far more leverage than can be had in the ordinary construction, where the chains areled back parallel to the boom and around guide-sheaves mounted 011 a turn-table in which the boom is stepped, and the power required to shift the boom is less. Our aim is to avoid the use of turn-tables, partly from their cost and liability to derangement and partly to keep the deck of the boat free from mechanism and obstacles. Therefore we lead the chains into the hull below the deck.

It will be observed that the free end of the handle F of the dipper plays within the frame 0, there being no bars across the same to form impediments, and the chains I being entirely out of the way.

It will be readily seen by the practical drcdger that our construction and arrangement 'presents the important advantages of strength, simplicity, cheapness, and convenience over those apparatuses in ordinary use.

*0 are aware that it is not new to employ the same chains for hoisting the dipper that are used to shift the boom from side to side; and we are also aware that triple sheaves have been grouped to form anti-friction hawse-holes, and we make no claim to these. These features, however, have not been arranged and constructed to operate in the same manner asours, so far as we are aware; nor are we aware of a boom for a dredging apparatus having ever been constructed and stepped in the manner herein shown.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. The boom constructed of the solid side plates and the tapered middle pieces, the latter arranged to leave an elongated opening to receive the dipper-handle and to form with the side pieces a solid butt and peak for the boom, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, to form a step for the boom, of the socketed pintle provided with a circular flange, the tubular socket provided with a flange at its top, and a circular recess therein to receive the flange on the pintle, and the socket for the boom, all constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.

3. The combinatiomwith the plate n, of the cheeks or plates 1) p p, the sheaves q q q, and the triangular hoods s s, all constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT E. HALL. MILAN W. HALL.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR G. FRASER, GEo. BAINTON. 

